System and method for processing a strip of exposed photographic material

ABSTRACT

A MOTION PICTURE FILM PROCESSING SYSTEM AND METHOD EMPLOYING AN APPLICATOR IN WHICH PROCESSING FLUID IS INITIALLY STORED AND HAVING A DOCTOR BLADE FORMED AT ONE END THEREOF. THE APPLICATOR ALSO INCLUDES A PLUNGER SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE PROCESSING FLUID FROM THE DOCTOR BLADE SO THAT DISPLACEMENT OF THE PLUNGER INWARDLY OF THE APPLICATOR CAUSES THE PROCESSING FLUID TO BE EXPRESSED FROM THE APPLICATOR ACROSS ITS DOCTOR BLADE. AN EXPOSED STRIP OF FILM IS INITIALLY COILED AROUND A SUPPLY REEL WITH A LEADER EXTENDING TO A TAKEUP REEL AND, IN PASSING FROM THE SUPPLY REEL TO THE TAKEUP REEL, THE FILM IS DRAWN ACROSS THE DOCTOR BLADE. A CAM, WHICH CONTROLS THE DISPLACEMENT OF THE PLUNGER WITHIN THE APPLICATOR, IS CON-   NECTED TO THE TAKEUP REEL TO MAKE SUBSTANTIALLY ONE COMPLETE REVOLUTION DURING THE TIME THAT THE TAKEUP REEL HAS MADE THE NUMBER OF REVOLUTIONS REQUIRED TO DRAW THE ENTIRE EXPOSED FILM STRIP ACROSS THE DOCTOR BLADE. ADDITIONALLY, A VARIABLE RESISTOR IN SERIES WITH THE PROCESSORS MOTOR VARIES THE SPEED OF THE MOTOR TO IMPART A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT SPEED OF THE FILM STRIP AS IT PASSES ACROSS THE DOCTOR BLADE.

v. K. ELORANTA Nov. 2, 11971' f 3,616,740

Y SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A STRIP 0F EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL 3 Sheets-Sh'e et 1 ECTI FIER Filed Jan. 13, 1969 rmvsrs V. K. ELORANTA SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A STRIP Now 2, 1971 OF EXPOSED PHOTOGRAI'HIC MATERIAL -3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan; 15; 1969 INVENTOR. VAITQ K. EL DRANTA Fl G. 2 BY W and M nd- @MX. 641 44 1971 v. K. ELORANTA SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A STRIP s Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 1;, 1969 OF EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL INVENTOR.

I VAITO K. ELORANTA BY @(oam and 72064464.

ATTMNEYS ya United States Patent 3,616,740 SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING A STRIP OF EXPOSED PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIAL Vaito K. Eloranta, Needham, Mass., assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass. Filed Jan. 13, 1969, Ser. No. 790,553 Int. Cl. G03d 5/00 US. Cl. 95-89 R 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A motion picture film processing system and method employing an applicator in which processing fluid is initially stored and having a doctor blade formed at one end thereof. The applicator also includes a plunger slidably mounted on the opposite side of the processing fluid from the doctor blade so that displacement of the plunger inwardly of the applicator causes the processing fluid to be expressed from the applicator across its doctor blade. An exposed strip of film is initially coiled around a supply reel with a leader extending to a takeup reel and, in passing from the supply reel to the takeup reel, the film is drawn across the doctor blade. A cam, which controls the displacement of the plunger within the applicator, is connected to the takeup reel to make substantially one complete revolution during the time that the takeup reel has made the number of revolutions required to draw the entire exposed film strip across the doctor blade. Additionally, a variable resistor in series with the processors motor varies the speed of the motor to impart a substantially constant speed of the film strip as it passes across the doctor blade.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of invention This invention relates to photography and, more particularly, to an improved system and method for applying a uniform coating of processing fluid to an exposed strip of photosensitive material.

Description of the prior art Traditionally, after motion picture film has been exposed in a camera, the operator mails the reel of exposed film to a processing laboratory. At the laboratory the film is removed from the reel and subjected to a series of op erations in order to develop visible images from the latent images recorded thereon. The fully developed film is then rewound onto a reel at the laboratory and returned to the user.

The extended delay normally incurred between the time the exposed film is mailed to the laboratory and returned ready for viewing has proved to be a significant inconvenience to the user and a source of great annoyance.

The field of still photography is no longer hampered by extensive periods of delay associated with the processing of exposed film. The impact on the public of the one step photographic process employing diffusion transfer techniques is a matter of record and generally well known. The home still photographer can now enjoy the fruits of his efforts in a matter of seconds. This important convenience has been available to the amateur still photographer for many years.

'Most recently, important technological advances have made it possible for the home photographer interested in motion pictures to enjoy the same convenience. Radically different motion picture systems have been developed which permit the photographer himself to quickly and easily process a strip of motion picture film shortly after the pictures have been taken. Exemplary of such new and unique systems are those described in copending applications Ser. No. 755,901 of Edwin H. Land filed Aug. 28,

p CC

1968; Ser. No. 761,771 of Rogers B. Downey filed Sept. 23, 1968; Ser. No. 776,481 of Rogers B. Downey filed Nov. 18, 1968; Ser. No. 722,789 of Vaito K. Eloranta and Benjamin C. 'Ruggles filed Nov. 1, 1968; and Ser. No. 788,897 of Rogers B. Downey filed Jan. 3, 1969; all of which applications are assigned to the ass gnee of the present invention.

In commercial and industrial operations such rapid motion picture processing systems are not only an improvement as a matter of convenience, but have other important effects as well. For instance, motion picture newsreel programs can be presented on television to the viewing public shortly after events of interest have occurred and been photographed.

In some of these new systems, the processing fluid is initially stored in an applicator, in others the fluid is initially stored in a rupturable container or pod from which it is fed into an applicator, while in still others the processing fluid is initially stored in a frangible container from which it is later released into a reservoir of the cassette to facilitate the processing operation. Considerable funds and effort are currently being expended to further improve and refine various features of these systems in order to reduce their cost, to further simplify the task of the operator, to improve their reliability, and to improve the quality of the final product. The present invention is directed to an improved system and method, employing an applicator of the type in which processing fluid is initially stored, for expressing processing fluid onto a strip of exposed motion picture film and which are capable of being utilized by the photographer himself.

One of the objects of this invention therefore is to provide an improved system and method for applying a processing fluid to a sheet of exposed photographic material.

Another primary object of this invention is to provide a system which applies a uniform coating of processing fluid along the entire length of a strip of exposed photographic material.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved system for expressing amounts of processing fluid from an applicator onto a strip of exposed photographic material as a function of the rate of relative motion between the strip of material and the applicator.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved system for controlling the amount of processing fluid expressed from an applicator onto a strip of exposed photographic material.

Also an object of this invention is to provide an improved processing fluid applicator system in which the amount of fluid expressed from the applicator onto a strip of exposed photographic material and the rate of relative motion between the strip of material and applicator are simultaneously controlled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWlINGS The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers have been employed in the different figures to denote the same parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cut away front elevation view of a motion picture film processor embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side elevation view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating various details of the processor shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. is a schematic representation of the electrical control system employed in the processor illustrated in the other figures of the drawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiment of this invention briefly comprises a supply reel around which a strip of exposed motion picture film is initially coiled, the strip of film being provided with a leader connected to a takeup reel. Means are provided to displace an applicator, having a doctor blade, from an initial position spaced from the film strip into contact with the film strip whereby a section of the film strip disposed between the supply reel and the ta'keup reel is slidably engaged between and a support plate and the end of the applicator adjacent its doctor blade. Processing fluid is initially retained within the applicator which includes a plunger slidably disposed on the opposite side of the processing fluid from the doctor blade.

A motor connected to the takeup reel also drives a rotatably mounted cam provided with a convolute peripheral surface through a reduction gear train. This gearing arrangement is designed to rotate the cam substantially one revolution during the time in which the motor drives the takeup reel the number of revolutions required to draw the entire length of exposed film strip across the doctor blade.

A slidably mounted rod, adapted to seat against the applicators plunger, is connected in parallel relationship to a cam follower. This assembly is spring biased to simultaneously urge the rod against the applicators plunger and the cam follower against the convolute peripheral surface of the cam. The cam and the applicator are configured such that the cam follower contacts the section of the cams convolute peripheral surface disposed the greatest distance from the axis of rotation of the cam at the same time that the rod makes initial contact with the plunger of the applicator. In this manner, displacement of the plunger within the applicator responsive to the force of the biasing spring transmitted thereon through the rod is controlled by the angular displacement of the cam. As a result of this arrangement, the linear displacement of the plunger within the applicator during any given period of time is a function of the amount of film strip drawn across the applicators doctor blade in that same period of time. Consequently, an accurately controlled amount of processing fluid is continually expressed onto the film strip regardless of the rate of relative motion between the film strip and the doctor blade to produce a fluid coating of uniform thickness along, the entire length of the exposed film strip.

Additionally, a rotary potentiometer responsive to the angular displacement of the cam is connected in series with the processors motor. Thus means are provided to vary the speed of the motor in order to impart a substantially constant speed to that section of the film strip passing across the applicators doctor blade regardless of the amount of film strip coiled around the takeup reel at any particular instant.

Other unique and advantageous features are embodied in this system including means for yieldably restraining the applicator against the film strip, means for automatically shutting down the system when the entire length of exposed film has been treated with processing fluid and means for recycling the system.

The supply and takeup reels, the film strip and the applicator may be conveniently incorporated into a compact multipurpose film handling cassette.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated as applying a compatible processing fluid to a film strus= ture which comprises both a photosensitive negative emulsion and an image-receiving layer to which a positive image may be transferred by diffusion during development without necessitating the subsequent removal of the emulsion containing its developed negative image. This highly desirable type of film structure is made possible by a developed negative image having low covering power.

In typical silver transfer reversal processes for the projection of black-and-white images, a silver halide developer and a silver halide solvent are applied in an aqueous alkaline solution to a photoexposed silver halide stratum or emulsion where they develop exposed silver halide to silver and react with unreduced silver halide to form a soluble silver complex. This complex, in order to form a positive print, is transferred and reduced to silver on a silver-receptive stratum upon which the silver halide stratum has been superposed. It has generally been the practice, in the completion of this process, to separate the silver-receptive and silver halide strata in order to render the positive print visible.

However, as indicated above, the positive print may be rendered visible without separation of the silver halide and silver receptive strata. For example, the silver receptive stratum may be so constituted as to provide an unusually vigorous silver precipitating environment which causes the silver deposited upon it, in comparison with silver developed in the silver halide stratum, to possess very high covering power, i.e., opacity for a given mass of reduced silver. If the silver halide is in such a concentration as to give rise only when fully developed to a predetermined low maximum density, and if the silver complex is reduced to silver in a vigorous silver precipitating environment, the resulting negative and positive prints in super-position provide a composite print that presents a good image for projection purposes as long as they are contained on a transparent support. Since the silver halide stratum and the silver receptive stratum need not be separated, an overall simplification of the silver transfer-reversal process is achieved.

A composite film assembly of this type as well as processing compositions for producing a fully developed blackand-white image without the necessity of removing the developed negative image after processing are shown in prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,891,885 to Edwin H. Land which issued on Nov. 25, 1958. Other composite film assemblies capable of producing developed full-color images without the necessity of removing the developed emulsion are shown in prior U.S. patents of Edwin H. Land Nos. 726,154 issued Dec. 6, 1955 and 2,944,894 issued July 12, 1960. All of these prior patents are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

However, it should be noted that the present invention is not directed to the chemistry by which images are de veloped in the photosensitive emulsion and transferred to an image receiving stratum. While an illustrated preferred embodiment of the invention is shown applying a compatible processing fluid to a film structure not requiring the removal of the negative emulsion after development, the invention itself is also applicable for use with other types of processing fluids and film structures.

The illustrated preferred embodiment of this invention can best be understood by first referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. As shown therein, a film processor 10 includes a pair of opposed walls 12 and 14 mounted on a support base 16. Side wall members 18, 20 and 22 connected between the opposed walls 12 and 14 cooperate therewith and with the support base 16 to define an enclosed section 24 of the processor 10. The film processor 10 addditionally includes a second enclosed section 26 defined by the wall 14, projections 28, 30, 32 and 34 which extend from the face of the wall 14 exterior of the enclosed section 24, and a hinged door 36.

Mounted from the inside face of the wall 12 within the processors enclosed section 24 is a motor 38 adapted to drive a drive shaft 40 journaled in the wall 14 through a timing belt 42 and a pulley 44. The drive shaft 40 actually extends through the wall 14 into the processors enclosed section 26 and terminates in a spline 46.

A cam carrier 48 and a cam 50 are mounted within the projectors enclosed section 24 for free rotational movement about a shaft 52. As may best be seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the cam carrier 48 is connected to the motor. 38 through a reduction gear train 54. In this respect, the last spur gear 56 in this gear train 54 is also mounted for free rotational movement on the shaft 52 and is provided with a circular recess 58. Additionally, the cam carrier 48 is provided with a pin 60 which extends from one of its parallel faces to seat within the circular recess 58 of the spur gear 56.

Mounted within an arcuate slot 62 of the cam carrier 48 is a spring 64. A pin 66 extending from the face of the cam 50 adjacent the cam carrier 48 is adapted to enter the cam carriers arcuate slot 62 and engage the spring '64. This spring '64 resiliently urges the pin 66 and the cam 50 from which that pin extends in a clockwise direction with respect to the arcuate slot 62 as viewed in FIG. 4. It will thus be appreciated that as the motor 38 drives the cam carrier 48 and the cam 50 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 of the drawings around the shaft 52, the rotational movement of the cam may be stopped while the cam carrier is free to rotate several degrees further. Additionally, should the element restraining the rotational movement of the cam 50 be subsequently withdrawn, the force of the now compressed spring 64 acting through the pin 66 will cause the cam to rotate on the shaft 52 until it has once more reached its original position with respect to the cam carrier 48 on the shaft 52. The purposes for this unique cam drive system will subsequently become apparent.

It will be noted that the gear 68 of the reduction gear train 54 that engages the spur gear 56 is mounted on a bracket 70 connected to the inner face of the wall 12 by a pin 72. This arrangement permits the reduction ratio of the gear train 54 to be quickly altered by simply replacing the gear 68 with another appropriately selected gear.

As is most clearly apparent in FIG. 4 of the drawings, a cam follower 74 is connected in parallel arrangement to a rod 76 through a plate member 78. This plate member 78 itself is positioned externally of the enclosed sections 24 and 26 of the processor (see FIGS. 1 and 3). However, the cam follower 74 is introduced into the enclosed section 24 of the processor 10 through an aperture 80 provided through the side Wall member 18, while the rod 76 is introduced into the second enclosed section 26 of the film processor through an aperture 82 provided through the projection 28. One end of a spring '84, which may be of the negator type, is connected to the wall 14 internally of the projectors enclosed section 24. This spring extends through a slot 86 of the-side wall member 18 and has its other end connected to the plate member 78. Thus, this spring continually urges the cam follower 74 and the rod 76 internally of the processors enclosed sections 24 and 26, respectively.

Preferably the cam follower 74 and the rod 76 are inalignrnent along the axis of rotation of the cam 50 and, of course, the cam follower 74 is slidably positioned in the plane of the cam so as to be seated against its convolute peripheral surface 88. The cam follower 74 is initially seated against this convolute peripheral surface 88 of the cam 50 adjacent its leading edge 90 under the force of the spring 84. It will therefore be appreciated that as the cam is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4, the cam follower will be gradually displaced from its furthermost position away from the axis of rotation of the cam to its innermost position with respect to the ca'ms axis of rotation as shown in phantom in FIG. 4. It will also be appreciated that at the time the cam follower 74 has reached its innermost position, the cam 50 will have 'been rotated slightly less than 360 and its leading edge 90 will have contacted the cam follower thereby preventing further rotation of the cam in this 6 direction. However, at such time, the spring 64 permits the cam carrier 48 to complete its 360 rotation. By then withdrawing the plate member 78 away from the side wall member 1 8, the operator can disengage the cam follower 74 from the cam 50 and the force exerted on the cam by the spring 64 through the pin 66 will cause the cam to complete a 360 rotation, i.e., to assume its original position with respect to the cam carrier 48. The operator can then release the plate member 78 and the force exerted thereon by the spring 84 will return the cam follower to its original position in contact with the cams convolute surface 88 adjacent its leading edge The second enclosed section 26 of the film processor 10 is adapted to receive a film handling cassette 92 through its door 36. Coplanarly mounted for rotary movement within the cassette 92 are a supply reel 94 and a takeup reel 96. These reels 94 and 96- are provided with fluted recesses 98 and 100, respectively. When the film handling cassette 92 is positioned within the enclosed section 26 of the processor 10, the spline 46 of the drive shaft 40 seats in the fluted recess 100 of the takeup reel 96. Additionally, a pin 102 rotatably mounted from the wall 14 is adapted to engage the fluted recess 98 of the cassettes supply reel 94. A strip 104 of exposed motion pic ture film of the type previously discussed is initially sub stantially entirely coiled around the supply reel 94 and has a leader connected to the takeup reel 96. In passing from the supply reel 94 to the takeup reel 96, the film strip 104 passes sequentially around idlers 106 and 108. Intermediate of the idler 106 and the idler 108, the film strip 104 is disposed externally of the housing of the cassette 92 and passes in close proximity to a support plate 110 mounted on a bearing 112 extended from the projection 30 so that it can pivot in any direction on that bearing for purposes which will subsequently become apparent.

The film handling cassette 92' also includes a pair of parallel guide tracks 114 and 116 between which an applicator 118 is slidably disposed. Contained within the applicator 118 is a quantity of processing fluid 120. The end of the applicator 118 adjacent the support plate 110 comprises a doctor blade 122 communicating with the interior of the applicator through an orifice 124. Slidably disposed within the applicator 118 on the opposite side of the processing fluid 120 from the doctor blade 122 in a plunger 126. The applicator 118 is provided with an aperture 128 whereby the rod 76 may be first introduced into the cassette 92 through an aperture 130 and then into the applicator through the aperture 128 to seat against the plunger 126. Thus, once the applicator has been restrained from movement in a left handed direction along the guide tracks 114 and 116 as viewed in FIG. 1, inward displacement of the rod 76 within the processor 10 will drive the plunger 126 against the processing fluid 120 to cause amounts of that fluid to be expressed from the applicator across the doctor blade 122.

The film handling cassette 92 includes a removable cover plate 132 which facilitates replacement of the applicator 118 and/or film strip 104. This cover plate 132 is provided with an elongated slot 134 adapted to slidably receive a pin 136 extending from the applicator 118.

When the film handing cassette 92 is initially mounted within the p rocessors enclosed section 26, the applicator 118 is positioned along the guide tracks 114 and 116 as shown in FIG. 1. Pivotally connected from the interior face of the door 36 is an arm 138, the free end of which is provided with a retaining seat 140 having a groove 142. One end of a spring 144 is connected to the arm 138 and has its other end connected to the door 36 whereby the spring continually exerts a force on the arm tending to rotate it in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1.

A pin 146 extends through the door 36 and its ends external of the door terminates in a hand knob 148. The other end of this pin 146, i.e., the end extending interiorly of the enclosed section 26, is connected to a cam 150. The peripheral surface 152 of this cam 150 is adapted to contact the edge of the pivoted arm 138. When the cam 150 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, it restrains the arm 138 in position such that the applicators pin 136 will be engaged by the groove 142 when the cassette 92 is mounted in the processor 10 and the processors door 36 is closed. Responsive to the subsequent turning of the hand knob 148, the cam 150 revolves to permit the arm 138 under the force of the spring 144 to slide the applicator 118 along the guide tracks 114 and 116 until it has contacted the film strip 104 and seated a portion of the film strip 104 against the support plate 110. In this respect, one end of a sealing member (not shown) may initially be adhered to the applicator 118 to seal its orifice 124 and have its other end affixed to the outside face of the housing of the cassette 92. Thus, the seal will automatically be removed from the orifice 124 as the applicator is displaced into contact with the film strip 104. The self-aligning feature of the support plate 110 permits the film strip 104 to be effectively slidably engaged between the support plate and the applicator 118.

The processors projection 30 includes an internally mounted latching element 153 having an elongated slot 155 provided therein. This latching element 153 and its elongated slot 155 are positioned such that, as the hand knob 148 is rotated to permit the applicator 118 to slidably engage the film strip 104 against the support plate 110, the cam 150 enters the slot 155 to lock the door 36 in its closed position. Thus, the cam 50 serves the dual function of bringing the doctor blade 122 into operable relationship with the film strip 104 after the processors door 36 has been closed and of locking the door 36 in its closed position. It will also be noted that after the film strip 104 has been slidably engaged between the support plate 110 and the applicator 118, the applicator 118 is yieldably restrained against the film strip by the spring 144. Additionally, as the door 36 is closed, the inside face of the retaining seat 140 engages the cover plate 132 to firmly position the cassette 92 on the shaft 40 and the pin 102.

In FIG. 4 the applicator 118 is depicted in its position wherein the film strip 104 is slidably engaged between the applicator and the support plate 110. As shown in that figure of the drawings, the rod 76 makes initial contact with the plunger 126 at the time the cam follower 74 is seated against that cams convolute peripheral surface 88 adjacent its leading edge 90. As the cam 50 rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 4, the cam 50 and cam follower 74 control the displacement of the plunger 126 within the applicator 118 and, consequently, the rate at which processing fluid is expressed from the applicator across the doctor blade 122. When the cam 50 has rotated to the position of the cam follower 74 as shown in phantom in FIG. 4, the full effective displacement of the plunger 126 within the applicator 118 has been realized.

Reduction gear train 54 is designed such that, after the takeup reel 96 has made the number of revolutions required to draw the entire length of exposed film strip 104 across the doctor blade 122, the cam carrier 48 will have made one complete revolution on the shaft 52 thus causing the plunger 126 to be displaced its full effective distance within the applicator 118.

The processors electrical control system is housed within the enclosed section 24 and is schematically illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings. This system includes an AC transformer 158, a normally open power switch 160, a normally closed microswitch 162, a normally opened start button 164, a normally opened relay 166, an AC-DC rectifier 168 and a potentiometer 170. The operation of this control system will be described in considerable detail hereinafter. However, at this point it should be noted that the potentiometer 170 is connected in series with the precessars meter 38 whereby the speed of that motor is 8 inversely proportional to the resistance of the potentiometer.

As is shown most clearly in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the invention employs a potentiometer 170 of the rotary type. The resistive element 172 of the potentiometer 170 is mounted from the inside face of the processors wall 14, while its brush 174 is mounted on the adjacent face of the cam 50. It will therefore be appreciated that the resistance of the potentiometer 170 at any instant is a function of the angular displacement of the cam 50 and, more importantly, a function of the amount of film strip 104 coiled around the takeup reel 96 at that instant. In this manner the speed of the film strip 104 across the doctor blade 122 may be held substantially constant regardless of the number of turns the film strip has made on the takeup reel 96.

The microswitch 162 is mounted from the processors wall 12 and is adapted to be opened when contacted by a pin 176 extending from the cam 50. This pin 176 is located on the cam 50 so as to open the microswitch 162 when the cam has been rotated to the position where the cam follower 74 is in its position shown in phantom in FIG. 4. At this time the leading edge of the cam 50 is in contact with the cam follower 74 so as to prevent its further rotation in a clockwise direction as viewed in that figure of the drawing. However, the system is designed such that inherent inertia of the drive system acting against the spring 64 causes the cam carrier 48 to complete its 360 rotation on the shaft 52. When the operator subsequently withdraws the cam follower 74 from contact with the cam 50, the cam is rotated a few more degrees under the force of the spring 64 exerted through the cams pin 66 until it has once again assumed its original position with respect to the cam carrier 48 on the shaft 52 at which point the pin 176 has passed the microswitch 162 permitting that element to return to its normally closed position.

The power switch 160 and start button 164 are conveniently positioned on the outside face of the projectors wall 14.

OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The cassette 92 may be initially adapted for mounting in a camera (not shown) to facilitate exposure operations. In this respect, the cassette 92 is furnished with substantially the entire length of film strip 104 in a photosensitive state coiled on the reel 96 and having a leader extending around idlers 108 and 106 to the reel 94. Drive means of the camera engage the recess 98 of the reel 94 through a slip clutch and also drive a conventional camera claw mechanism which engages a section of the film strip 104 disposed exteriorly of the cassette 92 to selectively transport the film strip across the cameras film gate and onto the reel 94 during the picture taking sequences. At this time the applicator 118 is filled with processing fluid and is in its furthermost right handed position along guide tracks 114 and 116 as viewed in FIG. 1.

In this usage, the idler 108 around which the film strip 104 passes on its way from the reel 96 to the film gate may, if desired, be mounted on a movable post spring biased toward the corner which it occupies of cassette 92 and capable of being moved resiliently inward away from that corner. Concurrently, idler 106 may be designed in accordance with current practice to provide a snubbing action during exposure operations. Also, this idler 106 may be spring biased toward the corner which it occupies of the cassette 92 and capable of being moved resiliently inward away from that corner. This arrangement represents one way to minimize strain exerted on the film strip 104 by the conventional intermittent film advancement mechanism of the camera which engages sprocket holes of the film during these operations.

After the entire length of the photosensitive film strip 104 has been exposed to image-carrying light rays in the camera, the cassette 92 should be removed from the camera and may be replaced as desired by a similar cassette containing film in a photosensitive state. The operator may now turn the hand knob 148 on the processors door 36 to withdraw the cam 150 from the latching element 153 and to displace the arm 138 into its furthermost position from the latching element 153. With the processors door 36 opened, the film handling cassette 92 can be mounted within the closed section 26 of the film processor 10. In this respect, spline 46 of the drive shaft 40 engages the fluted recess 100 of the takeup reel 96 and the pin 102 engages the fluted recess 98 of the supply reel 94. While mounting the cassette 92 in the processor 10, the operator must displace the plate member 78 against the force exerted thereon by the spring 84 a suflicient distance away from the wall 18 to permit the cassette to clear the rod 76. By closing the door 36, the pin 136 extending from the applicator 118 is seated in the groove 142 of the restraining seat 140 which itself engages the outside face of the cover plate 132 to fixedly position the film handling cassette 92 within' the processors enclosed section 26. The hand knob 148 may now be turned to bring the applicator 118 into contact with the film strip 104 so as to press the film strip against the support plate 110 and also to lock the door 36 in its closed position. Releasing the plate member 78 seats the cam follower 74 against the convolute peripheral surface 88 of the cam 50 adjacent the pams leading edge 90 and causes the rod 76 to make initial contact with the applicators plunger 126. The operator should now close the power switch 160 and momentarily depress the start button 164 to energize the processors motor 38. In this respect, with the start button 164 depressed, power from the transformer 158 passes through the microswitch 162 to close the relay 166. This relay 166 thereafter remains in a closed condition even though the start button 164 returns to its normally opened position and power from the transformer 158 is connected to the motor 38 through the power switch 160, the microswitch 162, the relay 166, the rectifier 168 and the potentiometer 170. The energized motor 38 drives the takeup reel 96 to progressively draw the exposed film strip 104 from the supply reel 94 across the doctor blade 122. Simultaneously, the energized motor 38 drives the cam carrier 48 and the cam 50 connected thereto by the pin 66 through the gear train 54. As the cam 50 rotates on the shaft 52, it permits the plunger 126 to be gradually dlS- placed inwardly of the applicator 118 under the force exerted on it by the rod 76 thereby causing the processing fluid 120 to be expressed onto the film strip 104 as it passes the doctor blade 122.

As previously explained, the leading edge 90 of the cam 50 contacts the cam follower 74 and its rotational movement therefore ceases slightly before it has been rotated a complete 360. When the leading edge 90 of the cam 50 contacts the cam follower 74, the pin 176 extending from the cam 50 trips the microswitch 162 to de-energize the motor 38. At this time the entire length of exposed film strip 104 has been drawn across the doctor blade 122 and the plunger 126 has completed its effective displacement within the applicator 118. Inertia of the gear train 54 and the cam carrier 48 is sufficient to thereafter cause the cam carrier to complete its 360 rotation.

During this time, a controlled amount of processing fluid 120 has been expressed from the applicator 118 10 across the doctor blade 122 in that same given period of time.

The quality of the coating of the processing fluid 120 applied to the exposed film strip 104 is further improved in this embodiment of the invention by drawing the film strip 104 across the doctor blade '122 at a substantially constant speed. As previously suggested, this highly desirable feature is made possible by the potentiometer 170 connected in series with the processors motor 38 and responsive to the angular displacement of the cam 50. As the cam 50 rotates about the shaft 52, the resistance of the potentiometer 170 is gradually increased, thereby decreasing the speed of the motor as a function of the amount of film strip 104 coiled around the take up reel 96.

By now withdrawing the plate member 78 away from the processors side wall member 18, the cam follower 74 is removed from contact with the cam 50 and the cam is free to complete its 360 rotation on the shaft 52 under the force exerted on it by the spring 64 through the pin 66. As the cam thus completes its 360 rotation, its pin 176 passes out of contact with the microswitch 162 permitting that element to return to its normally closed position. When the operator subsequently releases the plate member 78, the force of the spring 84 seats the cam follower 74 against the cams convolute peripheral surface 88 adjacent its leading edge 90. After the cassette 92 containing the now fully processed film strip 104 has across the doctor blade 122 onto exposed motion picture film strip 104 to form a uniform fluid coating therealong. Reiterating, the amount of fluid 120 expressed from the applicator 118 during any given period of time is a direct function of the length of film strip 104 drawn been removed from the processor 10, the processor is ready to accept another cassette containing exposed, but undeveloped, film.

Those familiar with the motion picture arts will readily appreciate the novel and highly unique advantages of this system and method for applying processing fluid to a strip of exposed film. The displacement of the plunger 126 within the applicator 118 is effectively controlled as a function of the amount of film strip 104 drawn across the applicators doctor blade 122. In this manner the amount of processing fluid 120 expressed from the applicators doctor blade 122 onto the film strip 104 is independent of environmental conditions, for example, temperature changes which would affect the viscosity of the processing fluid. Also, the amount of processing fluid 120 expressed from the doctor blade 122 is independent of any variations which might occur in the force of the spring 84. It is only necessary that the force of the spring 84 always be sufficient to urge the cam follower 74 against the cam 50 and the rod 76 against the plunger 126. Simultaneously as positive means are employed to control the displacement of the plunger 126, eflicient and effective means are employed to continually impart a substantially constant speed to the film strip 104 as it passes across the applicators doctor blade 122.

The gear 68 may readily be replaced to accommodate changes in the applicator, length of film strip and/ or thicknesses of fluid coatings.

This invention may be practiced or embodied in other ways without departing from the spirit or essential characacter thereof. For instance, the film handling cassette 92 may also incorporate a film projection capability such as that employed in the system disclosed in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 772,789 of Vaito K. Eloranta and Benjamin C. Ruggles. Thus, after the film strip has been processed in the processor, the cassette could be removed therefrom and mounted in a specially configured projector. Alternately, in this instance, the processor itself could include a projection capability and thereby serve the dual function of first processing the film strip and then projecting the images recorded thereon. Still further, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that while a film handling cassette 92 is employed in the illustrated preferred embodiment, the invention itself is not limited to use with cassette structures. In other words, the applicator may form part of the processor itself and the exposed but undeveloped film strip may be coiled on a reel independently mounted within the projector and extending to a second or takeup reel independently mounted in the processor.

The preferred embodiment described herein is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims and all variations which come within the meaning of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for processing a strip of photographic sheet material after said material has been exposed to image carrying light rays to record latent images thereon, com prising:

an applicator, containing a processing fluid and having an orifice through which said processing fluid may be expressed onto said exposed sheet material and including a plunger slidably disposed on the opposite side of said processing fluid from said orifice, whereby displacement of said plunger inwardly of said applicator causes said fluid to be expressed through said orifice;

first means for effecting relative motion between said strip of material and said applicator whereby substantially the entire length of said strip of material passes across said applicator adjacent said orifice; and

second means for progressively displacing said plunger inwardly of said applicator as a function of the rate of said relative motion between said strip of material and said applicator, said second means including a cam operable to control the displacement of said plunger within said applicator, whereby the amount of said fluid expressed from said applicator through said orifice by said plunger into said strip of material is continuously controlled to produce a uniform fluid coating on said strip of material regardless of said rate of said relative motion.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said first means includes at least one rotatably mounted reel to which one end of said strip of material is connected and third means for driving said reel whereby said strip of material is passed across said applicator and coiled on said reel, and said second means includes a rotatably mounted cam driven by said third means and operable to control the displacement of said plunger within said applicator.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said second means additionally includes a rod adapted to engage said plunger within said applicator, a cam follower connected to said rod and adapted to simultaneously engage said cam and fourth means for continuously urging said cam follower against said cam and said rod against said plunger whereby said cam controls the displacement of said rod inwardly of said applicator against said plunger under the force exerted on said rod by said fourth means.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein said third means drives said reel the number of rotations required to pass substantially the entire length of exposed strip of material across said applicator in the time said third means drives said cam substantially one complete revolution.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein said third means insaid motor as a function of the amount of said strip of macludes a motor and fifth means for varying the speed of terial coiled on said reel, whereby said strip of material may be passed across said applicator at a substantially constant speed.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said fifth means includes a rotary potentiometer connected in series with said motor and responsive to the angular displacement of said cam.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein said cam is connected to said reel to make substantially one complete rotation in the time that said reel has made the number of rotations required to pass substantially the entire length of said exposed strip of material across said applicator, said cam including a convolute peripheral surface against which said cam follower is seated, said cam follower and said rod connected thereto being slidably mounted in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said cam, said peripheral surface being configured to permit said cam follower and said rod connected thereto to be displaced underthe force exerted thereon by said fourth means a distance equal to the perdetermined effective displacement of said plunger within said applicator during one substantially complete revolution of said cam.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said second means additionally includes a cam carrier, said cam carrier and said cam being mounted in juxtaposition for rotation about the same axis and wherein said cam follower initially seats against the section of said convolute peripheral surface disposed the greatest distance from said axis of rotation of said cam adjacent the leading edge of said cam, said cam carrier being driven by said third means and resiliently rotatably connected to said cam whereby said cam carrier may rotate slightly beyond the point where said cam follower has reached its closest position to said axis of rotation along said convolute peripheral surface and been contacted by said leading edge of said cam to stop the rotational movement of said cam and the resilient force, established between said cam carrier and said cam as said cam carrier rotates beyond the point where said cam follower restrains the rotation of said cam, causes said cam to return to its original position adjacent said cam carrier when said cam follower is withdrawn from contact with said convolute peripheral surface and said leading edge of said cam.

9. The system of claim 8 additionally including a support plate, said exposed strip of material passing between said support plate and said applicator as said strip of material is coiled on said reel, and sixth means for causing said strip of material to be slidably engaged by said support plate and said applicator to be yieldably restrained against said strip of material.

10. A system for processing an elongated strip of motion picture photographic sheet material after said material has been exposed to image carrying light rays to record a plurality of latent images lengthwise thereon, comprising:

a source of processing fluid;

an applicator communicating with said source of processing fluid and from which processing fluid from said source may be expressed onto said exposed sheet material; first means for effecting relative motion between said strip of material and said applicator whereby substantially the entire length of said exposed strip of material comprising said plurality of latent images progressively passes across said applicator;

displaceably mounted second means for forcing said fluid from said source to said applicator and onto said strip of exposed photographic material; and

third means independent of said fluid coupling said first means to said second means for controlling the displacement of said second means and causing said second means to continually force amounts of said fluid from said applicator during substantially the entire period of said relative motion between said exposed strip of material and said applicator as a function of the rate of said relative motion to progressively apply a thin fluid coating of uniform thickness to the entire length of said exposed strip of material as it passes said applicator regardless of changes in said rate of relative motion.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said third means includes a cam operable to control the amounts of said fluid expressed from said applicator through said orifice.

12. A system for processing a strip of photographic sheet material after said material has been exposed to 13 14 image carrying light rays to record latent images thereon, coating on said strip of material regardless of said comprising: rate of said relative motion.

an applicator containing a processing fluid and having 13. The system of claim 12 wherein said applicator an orifice through which said processing fluid may be includes a doctor blade.

expressed onto said exposed sheet material and including a plunger slidably disposed on the opposite side References Cited of said proecssing fluid from said orifice, whereby dis- UNITED STATES PATENTS placement of said plunger inwardly of said applicator causes said fluid to be expressed through said orifice; {g i 5E first means for effecting relative motion between said 2942293 6/1960 a i strip of material and said applicator whereby substan- 6/1962 E h tially the entire length of said strip of material passes 0 r man 95-89 X across said applicator adjacent said orifice; and FOREIGN PATENTS second means coupled to said first means independ- 806,658 12/1958 Great Britain 118410 ently of said fluid for progressively displacing said 15 plunger inwardly of said applicator as a function of SAMUEL M ATTHEWS, Primary Examiner the rate of said relative motion between said strip of material and said applicator, whereby the amount GREINER Asslstant Exammel' of said fluid expressed from said applicator through said orifice by said plunger onto said strip of material is continuously controlled to produce a uniform fluid *14 118-410 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 616, 740 Dated November 2, 1971 Invento -(s) Vaito K. Eloranta It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

IN THE ABSTRACT Column 1, line 29, "processors" should be --processor 5-- Column 1, line 31, "of" should be --to-- IN THE SPECIFICATION:

Column 3, line 16, after "between" delete "and" Column 4, line 34, "super-position" should be -superposition-- Column 4 line 44, "to" should be --of-- he a',

Column 6, line 73, ends" should be ----end- IN THE CLAIMS Column 11, lines 61 & 62, transpose lines 61 and 62 Column 12, line 6, after "under" delete the hyphen Column 12, line 8, "perdetermined" should be -predetermined-- Column 12, line 37, after "applicator" insert -and said applicator-- Column 13, line 7, "proecssing" should be --processing--.

Signed and seale d this 1 1th day of Jul 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER, JR. KJBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents JRM PO-IOSO [IO-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-965 0.5, GOUIMIIU" "mums O'HC! IO. O-JlG-lll 

